An extracorporeal circulation circuit used for hemodialysis and the like is formed of an artery-side blood circuit and a vein-side blood circuit. The artery-side blood circuit includes a tube connected to one end of the hemodialyzer and used for connecting various kinds of devices. The tube has a tip end to which a blood circuit connector is attached, which is used for introducing another connector connected to an artery-side puncture needle. Also, the vein-side blood circuit includes a tube connected to the other end of the hemodialyzer and used for connecting various kinds of devices. The tube has a tip end to which a blood circuit connector is attached, which is used for introducing another connector connected to a vein-side puncture needle.
The blood circuit connector has a cylindrical shape provided with a through hole such that the above-described connector can be introduced into both ends thereof. Furthermore, it is preferable that the blood circuit connector is kept clean from the hygiene point of view. In particular, at one end of the blood circuit connector into which a connector connected to the artery-side puncture needle or the vein-side puncture needle is introduced, a plug for closing an opening at one end until use is provided in order to prevent contamination by various bacteria.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2011-55911 (PTD 1) is cited as a document disclosing a blood circuit connector provided with a plug for closing an opening at one end.
The blood circuit connector disclosed in PTD 1 includes: a main body provided therein with a through hole and separable between one end and the other end; and a plug connected to the main body. The main body is provided at its one end with a first opening that communicates with the through hole. The plug is configured to close the first opening in the attached state where this plug is attached to the main body.
By the configuration as described above, the first opening can be closed by the plug until it becomes necessary to be used during the priming process or the like, so that the opening end of the main body located on the first opening side can be prevented from being contaminated by various bacteria.